My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 252 The ministers seem to be going a bit too far.
After finishing his memorial, Su Ze checked the system's settlement report.

The memorial requesting the establishment of a border defense fund and the concurrent management of maritime intelligence by the Office of Transmission was passed, thus providing the Ming Dynasty with a dedicated naval budget and greatly promoting the development of the Ming Navy.

The administrative offices in port cities served as counter-espionage hubs. Their counter-espionage work was highly effective, slowing the outflow of key technologies and allowing the Ming Dynasty to maintain its technological lead for a longer period.

[National fortune +2.]

[Prestige +400.]

[Remaining Prestige: 1120.]

Well, the naval budget and the counter-espionage investigation at the General Administration Office only added 2 points to the national fortune in the end. It's getting harder and harder to increase the national fortune.

Holding his newly written memorial, "Request to Establish the Jinghai Patrol Fleet to Supervise the Defense Against Japanese Pirates in Ryukyu," Su Ze thought that with the groundwork laid earlier, his memorial would surely be approved.

Su Ze simply skipped the simulation and sent the memorial directly to the Ministry of Justice.

The officials of the Office of Transmission basically all knew Su Ze. A young official enthusiastically accepted the memorial and personally delivered it to Yang Sizhong, the Commissioner of Transmission.

Yang Sizhong opened Su Ze's memorial.

Su Ze first emphasized the importance of coastal defense:
"I humbly acknowledge that our ancestors bestowed titles upon Ryukyu, and for two hundred years, tribute ships have been continuously sent. However, since the reign of the late emperor, the Japanese have been rampant, sailing south from Satsuma Province to spy on us, seizing tribute ships at Diaoyu Island, and massacring the people living in Naha Port."

"The Ryukyu envoy Zheng Tong tearfully pleaded for help, saying, 'The tribute route has been cut off for years, and Japanese fortifications are densely packed around Yaeyama.' This is not just a problem for Ryukyu, but a serious breach in the Celestial Empire's coastal defenses!"

“Now the Japanese pirates are causing trouble, plotting to disrupt the capital, and plotting to rebel against His Majesty. If these vicious and wicked villains are not punished, the consequences will be a hundredfold.”

"Your subject submits a proposal for 'pacifying the seas and patrolling the borders,' which involves dispatching a fleet to demonstrate power in Ryukyu, protecting the tribute route, suppressing the island barbarians, and forming an alliance with Ryukyu to secure the southeastern border."

"I dare to propose the establishment of the 'Penghu Patrol Office' with troops stationed in Penghu. If there is any enemy activity in Ryukyu, troops can be sent to its aid. It can also be used to crack down on smuggling and thieves, and to ensure peace and stability on the land and at sea."

After reading it, Yang Sizhong nodded repeatedly.

Su Ze's memorial was indeed a mature and prudent one. The matters he proposed were not only feasible, but he also provided a step-by-step solution.

Su Ze's plan was to first send a fleet to Ryukyu to intimidate the Japanese pirates, and then establish a patrol office in Penghu to station the fleet, thereby achieving the effect of subduing the enemy without fighting.

After all, according to Yoshihiro Shimazu's testimony, the Shimazu family's control over Ryukyu was mainly through bribery and intimidation, coupled with the economic control of Ryukyu by Japanese merchants, it had not yet reached the point of openly using force.

The current ruler of Ryukyu still holds some power within the country, while the Shimazu clan is merely a daimyo in Satsuma and dares not directly challenge the Ming Dynasty.

That's why Su Ze devised this intimidation plan.

It's not that Su Ze didn't want to be tough, but the navy is something that can't be built up in a year or two.

The navy is a technical branch of the armed forces, and one that requires long-term training and coordination.

Qualified naval officers and sailors were rare in the timeline before Su Ze's transmigration.

In long-range operations, with insufficient hydrographic and geographical intelligence, if the Ming Dynasty's new fleet suffers a defeat on its expedition, it would be devastating to the confidence in the entire naval development.

Moreover, the Japanese pirates were greedy, and once they discovered that the Ming army's naval strength was insufficient, they would invade the Central Plains again.

Therefore, Su Ze proposed this prudent plan: the navy would depart from Laizhou Port, conduct long-distance navigation training, head to Ryukyu, circle around Ryukyu to deter the Japanese, and then return to Penghu to be stationed.

Later, using the Penghu Patrol Office as a base, we will familiarize ourselves with the hydrology and climate of the Ryukyu-Penghu waters. Once the fleet is well-integrated, we will head north to Ryukyu and eventually even advance into Japan.

Yang Sizhong also agreed with Su Ze's plan, but he was not optimistic about Su Ze's memorial.

Yang Sizhong glanced at the memorial on his desk.

Compared to these memorials, Su Ze's memorial was far too prudent.

Yang Sizhong sighed. He knew Su Ze's memorial was the best solution, but the political climate in the capital was changing far too rapidly!
"Brother Zilin!"

Shen Yiguan rushed into the newspaper office and said to Su Ze, "Minister Cao of the Ministry of War has submitted a memorial requesting His Majesty to send troops to Japan to appease His Majesty's anger!"

Shen Yiguan said again:

"All officials above the rank of Chief of the Ministry of War agree!"

"The Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Duke Cheng, Zhu Shitai, also submitted a memorial requesting the court to send troops, but Duke Cheng requested that an army be dispatched from Korea to fight against the Japanese!"

"Officials from the Six Ministries and Thirteen Circuits have all submitted petitions requesting the dispatch of troops!"

Su Ze was surprised for a moment before realizing that he had miscalculated!
Perhaps because things had been going smoothly for him lately, Su Ze had forgotten the nature of the Ming Dynasty's officialdom!

Luo Wanhua asked with some doubt:
"Didn't Minister Cao oppose setting up a coastal defense reserve? Why is he suddenly so firm?"

Shen Yiguan had already figured out the ways of officialdom, and he said:
"Minister Cao had no choice but to submit this memorial!"

"?"

Shen Yiguan said, "The Ministry of War strongly opposed the last matter concerning the Military Supervisory Commission, which has already made a bad impression on His Majesty. This time, Brother Zilin proposed strengthening coastal defense, but the Ministry of War still made excuses, which led to a major case like the Japanese pirates' assassination attempt on the emperor."

"A subject should die for his sovereign. If the Ministry of War does not take a firm stance now, His Majesty will not only distance himself from the Ministry of War, but will also turn his wits off with everyone in the Ministry!"

After Shen Yiguan's explanation, even Luo Wanhua immediately understood!
Yes, the emperor was almost assassinated. If the Ministry of War doesn't issue a strong statement at this time, are you waiting for the emperor to be assassinated?

Several missteps in taking sides on major military issues have caused the Ministry of War to lose favor with the emperor.

Cao Bangfu was a seasoned official, and he realized the crisis, which is why he led the Ministry of War to submit this memorial to demonstrate their stance.

As for whether the emperor will actually decide to launch a campaign against Japan, we'll see then. The Ministry of War should focus on overcoming the immediate difficulties first.

Similarly, the same principle applies to the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Six Ministries and Thirteen Circuits.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard had failed in its duties and had not captured any Japanese spies. If they did not perform well now, they would lose the emperor's trust.

The Six Departments and Thirteen Circuits had also criticized Su Ze's coastal defense policies. Now they are overcorrecting in order to sever ties with their past selves.

Su Ze sighed slightly. This is why rulers throughout history and across the world have always been so indecisive.

It is easy to go too far in order to correct a wrong, and it is very easy to slide to either extreme. But politicians who can balance the left and right and walk the tightrope well are very rare.

Su Ze silently inquired of the system.

"System, can the submitted petition be re-simulated?"

[Yes, you can put a copy of the memorials submitted this month into the system for simulation. The method is the same as simulating before submitting the memorial. You can also use prestige points to ensure the memorial is approved.]

Luckily fortunately!

Su Ze had originally planned to submit another memorial, but now it seems all he needs to do is make a copy of it.

During the Ming Dynasty, officials would keep copies of their memorials to the throne, which was to facilitate the compilation of their own collected works after they retired.

Important officials in the Ming Dynasty would usually compile their important memorials into a collection, which is why the historical materials of the Ming Dynasty are so abundant. These are first-hand historical materials from those who experienced the events firsthand.

Su Ze's thoughts wandered again. How thick would his collection of memorials be in the future?

Shen Yiguan then asked, "Brother Zilin, do you think His Majesty will agree to send troops to fight against Japan?"

Su Ze thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "The Emperor's will is unpredictable."

After saying this, Su Ze quickly said, "Brothers, I suddenly remembered that something has come up at home, so I'll have to go back first."

After saying this, Su Ze hurriedly went home to find a copy of his previous memorial.
-
——[Simulation Start]——

The memorial requesting the establishment of a Jinghai patrol fleet to supervise the defense against Japanese pirates in Ryukyu was sent to the cabinet, and the cabinet members all voted to approve it.

However, more memorials were sent to the cabinet, with a large number of officials advocating for a strong punishment of Japan.

Emperor Longqing was unwilling to handle the affairs of Japan in a simple manner, so he kept your memorial.

——[Simulation End]——

[Remaining Prestige: 1120.]

[Should we use 500 prestige points to ensure the memorial is fully executed?]

After seeing the results, Su Ze sighed slightly.

This is all thanks to my special ability; otherwise, I probably wouldn't be able to accomplish anything in the Ming Dynasty.

The emperor understood that the hardliners' petition was not feasible, but he probably felt that his suggestions were too weak.

It was clearly the best opportunity, but due to the ulterior motives of the ministers and the emperor, the opportunity was ultimately missed.

This is why reforms have been so difficult throughout history.

If it's just opposition from interest groups, at least we know where these interest groups are. As long as we target them specifically, the opposition interest groups are no match for the ruling party.

What I fear is that we are all intertwined, with various interests intertwined and different forces hindering each other.

What's even more worrying is this situation, where people oppose truly valuable proposals simply because of bureaucratic inertia, just to avoid making mistakes or minimize them, ultimately missing a golden opportunity.

Such things are not only difficult to prevent, but they also require a lot of energy, and sometimes it is necessary to negotiate and make some compromises in order to promote reforms.

Fortunately, I have a cheat code.

Su Ze decisively chose "yes".

[Prestige points have been deducted, leaving 620 prestige points. The memorial has been submitted in real life; please wait for it to take effect.]

Su Ze was also curious about how the system would arrange things so that the court would approve his memorial.
-
"Father, it's a letter from my eldest brother!"

Zhang Sixiu was Zhang Juzheng's second son. After his eldest son, Zhang Jingxiu, left the capital to study at the Dengzhou-Laizhou Coastal Defense Training Institute, Zhang Sixiu took over his elder brother's duties and served Zhang Juzheng.

Zhang Sixiu is fifteen years old this year and is also a well-known child prodigy.

Compared to his elder brother, Zhang Sixiu was more lively and began to assist Zhang Juzheng in handling some private affairs.

Upon hearing that the letter was from his eldest son, Zhang Juzheng said expressionlessly:

"let it go."

As soon as Zhang Sixiu put down the letter and left the study, Zhang Juzheng immediately put down his brush and eagerly opened Zhang Jingxiu's letter.

The letter begins with greetings to the parents, a typical format for a son's letter to his parents. Zhang Juzheng skips this and reads the main body of the letter.

This wasn't the first time Zhang Jingxiu had written a letter. After he went to Dengzhou and Laizhou, he regularly wrote two letters home every month, which were then delivered by fast horses by servants from the Zhang household.

In his letter, Zhang Jingxiu described what he had learned at the Denglai Coastal Defence Training Institute.

The Denglai Maritime Defence Training Center allows trainees to learn theoretical knowledge on land first, and only after they pass the theoretical knowledge test will they go on board ships for on-site learning.

Zhang Jingxiu was a scholar who could pass the imperial examination and become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations). Among all the students, he mastered the material the fastest.

He enrolled the latest, but he and the first batch of students passed the written test on shore and earned the opportunity to study on the ship.

Zhang Jingxiu wrote about his lessons in sailing:

"The instructor showed the child how to steer the ship, explaining that it could sail against the wind in a zigzag pattern. The child used his knowledge of natural philosophy to analyze and calculate, and only then did he understand the wonder of the three masts and twelve sails."

"Western shipbuilding has its merits. Now, our Dengzhou-Laizhou shipbuilding will draw on the strengths of both East and West. Why should we worry about the calm of the seas?"

"It also carries six red-coated cannons, with a range twice that of the old guns."

"The compass master taught the art of calculating tides, using the quadrant to measure the sun, moon, and stars, so that even when fog obscures the view and the waves rage, one will not lose one's way."

Zhang Juzheng looked at the letter, stroked his beard, and nodded repeatedly.

He wasn't very supportive of Zhang Jingxiu's voyage, but seeing the excitement in his eldest son's letter reminded Zhang Juzheng of his own youth.

At that time, I passed the imperial examination and became a member of the Hanlin Academy, which was a great achievement for me at a young age.

But at that time, the court was corrupt and honest officials had no chance to rise in rank. The young man resigned due to illness and returned to his hometown, and along the way he also traveled around the scenery of the Ming Dynasty.

It was around that time that Zhang Juzheng witnessed many problems among the common people, saw their hardships and suffering, and only after returning to the imperial court did he come up with the idea of ​​reform.

The eldest son grew up in a better environment than his father and had never experienced the hardships of ordinary people. He studied under his father's expectations from childhood to adulthood.

With that in mind, Zhang Juzheng let Zhang Jingxiu go his own way.

But when he read the next paragraph, Zhang Juzheng's expression changed drastically.

It turns out that this last part is about Zhang Jingxiu seeing officers recruiting for new ships at the Maritime Trade Office at the Coastal Defense Training Institute, and then volunteering to participate.

The newly built warships in Dengzhou and Laizhou were in dire need of officers, so Zhang Jingxiu, who had not yet completed his studies, was also pulled onto the ship to study and work on board at the same time.

Isn't this the naval fleet that Dengzhou and Laizhou are building?

Zhang Juzheng's mind was buzzing as he thought about the recent petitions from officials advocating war with Japan.

He originally supported Su Ze's approach, feeling that rashly declaring war on Japan would do more harm than good. However, since this matter was related to the assassination attempt on the emperor, Zhang Juzheng was not in a position to offer much advice.

The cabinet ministers probably all thought the same way, so they remained silent about the officials' "show."

But Zhang Juzheng really does have a son on a ship in the fleet. What if they really go to war with Japan?

Zhang Juzheng dared not think too much about it; naval warfare was far more brutal than land warfare.

A defeat on land offers a chance of escape, but a defeat on the vast ocean, given the cruelty of the Japanese, offers no possibility of survival.

Thinking of this, Zhang Juzheng put away the letter and then remembered Su Ze's memorial.

In contrast, Su Ze's memorial proposed a more moderate and feasible policy.

Zhang Juzheng was originally unwilling to get involved in this mess, but after thinking about this, he decided to find a way to persuade the emperor to handle the incident calmly.

"Guards, I want to enter the palace."

(End of this chapter)